2002-01-22                     Senate Journal                      Page 2000
SB 250                                                                                            
SENATE BILL NO. 250 BY THE SENATE RULES COMMITTEE                                                   
BY REQUEST OF THE GOVERNOR, entitled:                                                               
                                                                                                    
          "An Act extending the dates for assignment of                                             
          performance designations of public schools and the                                        
          dates for reports and monitoring based on those                                           
          designations; and providing for an effective date."                                       
                                                                                                    
was read the first time and referred to the Health, Education and Social                            
Services Committee.                                                                                 
                                                                                                    
The following fiscal information was published today:                                               
 Fiscal Note No. 1, zero, Department of Education and Early                                         
  Development                                                                                       
                                                                                                    
Governor's transmittal letter dated January 21:                                                     
                                                                                                    
Dear President Halford:                                                                             
                                                                                                    
I am transmitting this bill extending the date for public school                                    
performance designations to September 2004, aligning it with the                                    
secondary school student competency testing examination. Aligning                                   
the effective date of these two programs makes sense because the                                    
school performance designations are based on student achievement,                                   
including the results of the competency exam.                                                       
                                                                                                    
                                                                                                    
                                                                                                    
                                                                                                    
                                                                                                    
                                                                                                    

2002-01-22                     Senate Journal                      Page 2001
The additional time will allow the Department of Education and Early                                
Development to do three things regarding school performance                                         
designations:                                                                                       
                                                                                                    
     · Align state programs with the new requirements of the federal                                
          Elementary and Secondary Education Act;                                                   
     · Collect the data necessary to measure growth;                                                
     · Build the capacity to effectively collect, analyze, and use the                              
          data.                                                                                     
                                                                                                    
Correspondingly, the bill also delays the effective date for department                             
reports and monitoring that are to be based on school designations. In                              
addition, the bill clarifies that school designations are intended to                               
reflect student achievement of "essential skills." It is those skills that                          
students are tested on throughout the standardized testing program                                  
mandated by state law.                                                                              
                                                                                                    
I urge your prompt and favorable action on this measure.                                            
                                                                                                    
Sincerely,                                                                                          
/s/                                                                                                 
Tony Knowles                                                                                        
Governor